IAQ Insights | Arzel Zoning

If you were at the AHR show in January, you were able to witness the unveiling of Haven, our brand new product for 2015. It’s not quite ready for the market yet, but your feedback at the show tells us that when it does become available this summer, it will be a HUGE success. If you didn’t get to see it in action, here’s a little information about it:

Haven is a completely wireless, app driven, energy harvesting zoning system. We have reduced the installation time even more by eliminating the need to run any wires or tubing to the dampers or thermostats. This new system has five main parts: the TC, the damper, the ECB, and two apps.

The TC (temperature controller) is what takes the place of the thermostat. No more need for an ugly box on the wall. This slick little guy can sit on a desk, end table, kitchen counter – wherever the homeowner’s heart desires. But just in case their heart desires a wall-mounted TC, it can still do that.

The damper is quite different from our current dampers. Each damper has its own pump rather than one main pump in the panel. It also has its own energy harvesting impeller which functions when the zone is calling and the damper opens. This is one savvy damper.

Pictured at the top right is the ECB (equipment control box). Imagine this as the better-dressed, high tech-friendly big brother of our current panels. The Haven ECB is an intelligent hybrid of our HeatPumPro, GTPro, and CoolMizer panels. It’s Wi-Fi capable, and is controlled completely by the system apps.

There are two apps for Haven: the contractor app and the homeowner app. The contractor app is used to set up the system which is made even easier by the auto-configure features. The homeowner or consumer app is used to set schedules, control each zone temperature, and monitor the system. It also gives energy saving tips and sends the contractor notifications for any service requirements.

Haven will be available through our distributor network by late summer 2015, but until then, you can visit the Haven website, www.HavenComfort.com, and sign up for more information.
How will you do comfort in 2015?

Panic and mayhem seem to be raining down on the HVAC streets of California as contractors scramble to interpret the new regulations and changes to bypass systems with the passing of the 2013 version Title 24. Title 24 is the building and energy code standard in California, which ensures building construction, as well as system design and installation, reach at least a minimum level of energy efficiency and maintains environmental quality. These standards result in lower energy costs, greater comfort, more dependable system service, and a better environment.

Yes, these changes do only apply to California currently, but the HVAC trends in the west coast state seem to set the standard for the industry. So what do we need to know about Title 24?

Zoning systems with bypass dampers and ducts are still allowed.

The CEC (California Energy Commission) has approved certain compliance software packages to help design and submit systems with bypass dampers. Depending on the system, you can choose the Performance Compliance Method or the Prescriptive Method.

There are airflow and fan efficacy requirements associated with zoning systems.

There may be different airflow requirements when zoning systems are used versus systems without zoning.

Multi-stage cooling equipment may have fewer restrictions.

If a system meets the requirements of a zonal control system, an energy credit is allowed.

Check out the tables below which show mandatory requirements and performance compliance options for single zone systems versus systems with multiple zones:

As far as bypass is concerned, there’s no reason to fret over these changes – they’ve been set in place to ensure better energy usage for everyone. For more references on the current version of Title 24, click on the links below:

The HVAC industry is an ever-changing field. New technologies such as app-driven systems and touchscreen thermostats are entering the industry every year; and manufacturers are constantly making improvements on products. A great way to keep up with these changes is through continuing education classes.

Continuing education (CE) classes are important for every contractor in the HVACR field for various reasons. Staying on top of the industry trends and newly introduced technologies keeps you better informed and makes you a valued consultant to homeowners. Knowing about all the changes and understanding the ins and outs of the products and their features allows you to provide them with more options for their home comfort; and your up-to-date knowledge will earn their trust, landing you a repeat customer. According to the NATE website, there is a stark lack of properly trained HVACR technicians –currently just over 32,000 of them are NATE certified; these classes allow you to renew your contracting license as well.

CE classes also let you to keep up with your competitors, and maybe even get ahead of them. Knowing information about products they haven’t kept up on will give you a boost with clients over other HVAC contractors.IMG_0468

The NATE website also states that half of homeowners put off retro-fit jobs and new installations because they aren’t sure which contractors have knowledgeable technicians. They live in less than comfortable homes because they aren’t sure which contractors can be trusted to do the job accurately. When you tell them you’re educated on the current industry, you’ll give them a better sense of security, knowing that a trusted, valued consultant is getting the job done right.

Autumn weather is quickly approaching. The air outside begins to cool down, but our homes are often times still warmer than we would like them to be. The fresh, cool air outside seems like just the solution, so we open the windows; but letting those windows hang open brings safety issues, allows unwanted pests inside, and can bring a too-warm home to a too-cold home more quickly than we would like.

What if you could have all the pros of fresh air in your home without the cons? The Arzel CoolMizer allows you to do just that. When outside conditions are favorable, the system will open the dampers to the outside, allowing the air to be drawn into the home and be distributed throughout the duct system. When outside conditions are no longer beneficial to use, the CoolMizer system closes those dampers and returns to using the regular mechanical system.

This gives the homeowner an abundance of benefits: free heating and cooling; fresher air inside the home; peace of mind, as they’re receiving all the advantages of open windows with none of the risks; reducing their carbon emissions by not using extra electricity or gas; and improving the indoor air quality by dismissing VOCs, odors, and chemical gases.

It also offers many contractor benefits: easy set up; it can be assimilated with any forced-air system already in the home; ideal for retrofit and new-construction; and it offers field-proven technology in commercial applications.

It’s a win-win product for contractors and homeowners. Contractors can work with a system that’s easy and fast to set up, and homeowners get a system that offers so many different benefits and pays for itself in energy efficiency in no time.

After this past winter, I’m sure we’re all glad that the snow has melted and spring has finally found its way here; but warmer weather comes with its own set of problems. Within days of being able to see the grass again, allergy sufferers were reminded of what they were missing for the past four months.Dandelion_Ghost

Snow melts and the pollen count rises. It’s the same vicious cycle every year. However, HVAC contractors don’t have to suffer with the rest of the world. Allergy season is actually a great season to sell HVAC systems.

When the outside world fills up with pollen and spores, people with allergies retreat indoors; but they’re not as safe from suffering as they think. Dust mites, animal dander, and even cockroaches can attack allergies in the home. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says that eight out of ten people in the United States are exposed to house dust mites, and six out of ten are exposed to pet dander. Then there are the homeowners who still want to try to get the fresh air from outside and will throw open their windows and doors to try to bring it inside, not bothering with window filters. Of course, bringing in that new spring air will also bring outside pollutants in with it. You don’t need to be a math genius to figure out that that adds up to a lot of people putting up with allergies.

Now here’s the kicker: controlling the air quality in your home can reduce your seasonal symptoms. Putting in a new HVAC system or having an old one maintained can decrease the misery. According to Web M.D., many pollutants (like pollen and particulate matter) are water-soluble; and since air conditioners are made to remove water from the air, they remove the pollutants as well. Removing the pollutants means a more enjoyable time in your own home. And if that’s not enough to seal the deal on a new system, good indoor air quality can also reduce negative health effects, lower the costs associated with illness, and can improve quality of life (Indoor Air Quality.com).

Think of yourself as Superman: when the evil Allergens come to invade homes, you can stop them in their tracks just by growing your business.

One of the most common phrases coming out of our Technical Support department during a troubleshooting call is, “We recommend a digital manometer for that.” If you are used to working mostly with motor-driven systems, you may not have had as much of a need for one; but (besides being fun to say) manometers are very helpful tools when you’re working on HVAC equipment and air-driven systems like Arzel’s.

Manometers are used for accurately measuring individual and differential pressures. They work by comparing two different pressures between fluids or gases; in this case, gases – specifically air.

When working with HVAC and air-driven zoning systems, manometers come in handy in quite a few instances:

Troubleshooting in a variety of low-pressure systems (e.g.: pneumatic or air-driven systems

Reading incoming and manifold gas pressures

Testing pressure switches

Performing Pitot tube traverse readings within ducts

Observing differential pressures across filters or coils

Measuring both supply and return static pressures in ductwork

Diagnosing glitches that cannot necessarily be seen, such as a leak in a damper or pump or a weak vacuum

Besides being advantageous in various cases, they’re also extremely reliable: in addition to being found in your toolbox, manometers can be found in self-service blood-pressure devices.

While the more accurate and reliable models can run a little on the expensive end, they’re bound to be the best backup quarterback you’ll ever have for troubleshooting and diagnostics.

Like every other industry and business concept, the HVAC industry has its ebbs, its flows, and its trends. In the past year or so, a couple different trends have floated to top of the list:

1) The Green Initiative

I can already hear the groans pouring forth. Aren’t we done with “going green?” Hasn’t that been run into the ground yet? Yes and no. While the terms are more worn out than five-year-old socks that have been converted into wash rags for your car, the concept still stands solid. I don’t think any of us would say we are tired of making this planet a healthier and cleaner place for ourselves and future generations; and the HVAC industry has found out that they can do their part as well.

Arzel’s answer: the Evergreen system. It uses 30-50% less electricity than PSC motors. This makes for clean comfort as well as happy homeowners when they get those lower utility bills.

2) User-Friendly Technology

Everyone today is driven by the latest gadgets and gizmos, but they still want it to be easy to use. What good is technology if we can’t figure out how to use it? That kind of defeats the purpose, right? The same concept applies to home heating and cooling systems. A homeowner doesn’t want to have to call his or her contractor in the fear of messing something up every single time he or she wants to change the temperature settings in the home. What homeowners want is a system where they can walk over to the thermostat, push that little button, and get exactly what they were trying to get.

Arzel’s answer: any of our systems. All of the Arzel zoning systems are compatible with whatever thermostat the homeowner is comfortable with, so they can make their home as high-tech or low-tech as they would like.